Apple’s Mac OS X Superstar Bertrand Serlet Leaves the Mother Ship; Where Is He Going to Go?

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Apple announced today officially (that means yes, a full press release was dedicated to this) that Bertrand Serlet, one of the most important guys behind the growth of Mac OS X in the recent years, has decided to leave the mother ship. The real reasons for the departure have not been given, not that we expect anything like that, but what’s its crystal clear is that Serlet is tired of Apple and Mac OS X.

In fact here’s what he said on the matter:

“I’ve worked with Steve for 22 years and have had an incredible time developing products at both NeXT and Apple, but at this point, I want to focus less on products and more on science,” said Bertrand Serlet, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “Craig has done a great job managing the Mac OS team for the past two years, Lion is a great release and the transition should be seamless.”

Who is Craig you ask? Well that’s the Apple’s vice president of Mac Software Engineering. His full name is Craig Federighi and that’s the guy that will take over Serlet’s responsibilities.

Getting back to Bertrand Serlet, a guy you don’t normally see out in the open when Apple showcases various new gadgets, it’s strange to see him go considering Apple’s current position. With over $50 billion in the bank and more cash coming in hot later this year, both from Apple’s iOS growing arm but also from the Mac OS X side of the business, Apple seems to be a great place to continue your career in, especially for someone like Serlet.

Will his departure affect Mac OS X development in any way? Mac OS X 10.7 Lion is supposed to come out later this year, and from what we’ve seen so far the new Mac OS looks pretty interesting. Apple is going to put some iOS flavors into Mac OS X, which is a daring new direction for a computer OS. Is that the sparkle that ignited this whole ordeal? It’s too early to determine what repercussions will Serlet’s departure have on the future of Mac OS X and next-gen Apple computers, but, again, considering Apple’s position, I think Steve Jobs and Co. will find soon a proper replacement. Maybe not as experienced as Bertrand Serlet, but certainly capable to further help lead Apple’s computer division into the future.